Substance Use Health Risks

Substance Use Health Risks

The general health risks associated with the use of illegal drugs can be divided into two categories: drug use that can destroy a healthy mind and body by outright organic damage, mental illness, malnutrition, and failure to get treatment of injuries or diseases; and drug use that generally reduces the body’s natural immune system and increases the chances for infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. Drug overdose may cause psychosis, convulsions, coma, or death.